A Consequence of Fate
by Kroniis
Summary: Joel and Ellie aren't alone in their pursuit of the Fireflies. Charlotte and Elijah join their little hunting party and soon Joel finds he and Ellie are caught in an unwanted battle between the unknown and a group called the Others. - - I know you're not supposed to say this but crap summary. Set to change. Possible pairings. - -
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **__So hi. I decided to do this story about a month ago but finally worked out most of the kinks so here we go. Basically revolves around most of the game but starts at the end of the quest where you drop Bill off outside his town._

_Revolves around Joel, Ellie and my two OCs, Elijah and Charlotte. _

_Please enjoy and R&R. Flames or praise, I accept both._

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><p><strong><em>Preface<em>**

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><p><strong><em>'You are my sunshine<br>_****_My only sunshine'_**

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><p>He held her tight in his arms, muttering into her hair broken promises; he was always good at that, breaking promises. He remembers twenty years ago holding a much smaller person in his arms. Same position, same place.<p>

But he can't see their face.

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><p><em><strong>'You make me happy<br>**__**When skies are gray'**_

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><p>"Come on," he urges. "Come on..."<p>

He's left to his own ramblings but it's nothing new to him. Her fingers, still tangled in his tattered flannel shirt, are shining with blood but he ignores it.

If he ignores it, it's not real.

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><p><em><strong>'You'll never dear<br>**__**How much I love you'**_

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><p>He knows what she would say.<p>

_"Go Joel," _a smile on her face. _"I got this."_

She had always said she would fight until her heart was ripped from her chest. 'Through broken limbs and blood clots.'

But she couldn't fight this.

"Come on," he muttered.

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><p><em><strong>'Please don't take<br>**__**My sunshine away'**_

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><p><strong><em>AN: _**_Chapters until chapter ten will be short but not below 1,000 words._


	2. Chapter 2

_Sorry I haven't updated since posting the first chapter. Long story, nobody cares, let's get this going. Thank you to the people that have reviewed, so much appreciation. Just continue!_

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><p>"Look, we just want a ride."<p>

"Fuck off."

"Bill, shut up."

"Hell no. Our truck, they can fuck off."

"Not taking no for an answer."

Joel's brow twitches.

The woman, who her partner refers to as Charlotte – he keeps repeating her name with the final sentence '_Please let the girl go_' – has Ellie's small hands twisted behind her back to keep her still and in front of her. The woman is covered head-to-toe in blood and the sharp, angled armor she's wearing can't help but unsettle Joel. Her eyes are a bright turquoise, something he has never seen before, and her whole face reads anger. Or desperation. Maybe a little concern. He's been getting every emotion and concern mixed up these days.

"Just let her go."

"Just give us the truck," she growls, pressing the barrel of her pistol into the back of Ellie's head. "I don't want to kill her, but God dammit we need it."

"We need it to," Ellie grunts but Charlotte does something with her hands that makes Elli whimper and her knees buckle a little. "Fuck that hurt."

"Well shut up and it won't happen again," Charlotte growls. "Young ladies need to have manners."

Is she insane?

Joel looks to her partner – a young man with blonde hair that's wearing a blue robe over his jeans – and sees some sort of compliancy in his eyes. He looks to Joel desperately as well, as if he's trying to transfer that feeling to the older man. But Joel doesn't know what to do. They need the car, and the woman won't let Ellie go.

He looks back to her and her jaw is still set pretty hard, her skin so taught he was sure she could break stone at the angle. "Look," he mutters, breath shaky. "Maybe we can compromise…"

"No," the woman growls. "_We _need the truck and you're gonna give it to us. Or she dies, simple as that."

Joel doesn't doubt for one second that she wouldn't introduce Ellie's raw brain matter to the world.

"Come on," Ellie sounds like she's about to break. "We're headed to the Fireflies…same as you right?"

The woman tenses and the gun digs in further to Ellie's scalp. But Ellie doesn't make a single noise, she just squeezes her eyes tight and prays to whatever God is left that she doesn't die right here. Charlotte looks back to her partner, Elijah, and he looks at her with a more level head. Her bottom lips trembles and her grip on Ellie loosens. She looks down at the young girls deep red hair and then lets her go completely, watches her tumble forward as she lets her hand dangle at her side, gun still clenched in her fingers.

She breaths rapidly for a moment, almost like a rabbit, and watches Ellie scramble behind the man with the beard, sees his friend with a gun trained on her; if only he knew she would be able to get out of the way of that bullet before he could blink. Her eyes shift back to the man named Joel and she wants to offer a smile but can't seem to do it. _Show him you're not a permanent threat._ But she can't get the thought to relay to her muscles, which are seemingly set to angry or cautious, maybe a mix of both.

"You headed to the Fireflies," she question, voice low.

Joel shakes his head, right arm reaching back to touch Ellie, as if he doesn't believe she's really there. "Yes."

She looks back to Elijah again, watches him nod slowly in approval, and then she smiles at Joel. "We're coming with you," she speaks as though she had not just held Ellie hostage moments ago. "I'll ride in back so no one is uncomfortable."

"Is she serious," Joel asks in bafflement, watching her jump into the back of the truck with that clunky sword on her back.

Elijah nods with pursed lips. "I'm afraid so," he breathes in deeply and smiled apologetically. "Sorry about all that, she isn't really that harsh."

Joel knows it's a lie for common comfort but accepts it with a nod. "Ellie," he looks back at her. "I want you to get in the back seat, alright?"

Ellie looks slightly defiant for a moment and then nods, following Elijah towards the truck while Joel sticks behind to tend to Bill. When he turns to his old friend, he sees that gun still trained on the woman sitting in the back of his truck. His eyes are wild and untrustworthy but then again, they've been that way ever since Tess introduced the two of them to each other.

"Bill, put the damn gun down," Joel sounds tired, and he has every right to sound that way.

For once, Bill complies without a single protest, but he doesn't take his eyes off of her. "Think you'll be safe?"

"Never thought you were one for my well being," Joel chuckles.

Bill finally glares at him. "Shut up. Don't trust that bitch."

"Look, she can't be that harmful. Not with that Elijah kid around. Long as he's ok, she'll be under control," _minor control._

Bill sighs. "Fine," he grabs his bag from the ground. "Just get the hell out of my town.

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><p><em>Oh, painful end to this chapter and oh-so-short but it's just the beginning;)<em>


End file.
